‘Mthethwa disregards farm murders’

Johannesburg - Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa is disregarding the farm murder crisis by saying farms are not special areas in society, AfriForum said on Thursday.

“Mthethwa is callously disregarding the fact that a South African farmer's chances of being murdered are more than twice as high as those of a police officer, and more than three times higher than those of an ordinary citizen.

“Farming has become the most dangerous occupation in the country, and it that does not warrant the classification of farm murders as a priority crime, it must mean that the government does not value the lives of farmers, their families or their employees,” said AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel said.

Mthethwa had earlier told the New Age Business Breakfast that farms were not special and did not deserve to have more police focus than any other area in the country.

“What I have refused to accede to is (the idea) that farms are special areas in our society. No, they are not. They are part and parcel of the rural safety plan,” he said.

Kriel said Mthethwa was purposely turning a blind eye to the extreme violence and brutality that characterised farm murders.

He said it was a disgrace for Mthethwa to use the TNA breakfast as a platform to show his indifference towards the agricultural community “who also happen to be taxpayers”. - Sapa